Introduction

Conservation and management of habitats (sensu Directive 92/43/EEC), with ecotonesrestoration, shrub cutting and pasture promoting is one of LIFE03NAT/IT/000147 projetc “Biocenosis restoration in Valvestino-Corno della Marogna2” goal. Management of these habitats is important to encourage the top predators presence and for the conservation of casmophytic habitats where are currently present some stenoendemic species included in Allegato II, such as Saxifraga tombeanensisor and Daphne petraea.

In the area only few villages are present , the economy until the half of the past century was based by breeding, agriculture and forest management. Now only a few inhabitants remain and the most of them works in the city. As a consequence, semi-natural grasslands (6170/6230/6210/6520/6510) were abandoned.

Study Area

Aim of this study is to illustrate distribution of vegetation, evolution dinamic of plants communities, and methods of management adopted in this project, involving local people. The two SIC are collocate in the eastern Lombardy Pre-Alps. Annual rainfalls are abundant, about 1200-1500 mm. Substrata are dolomite limestone outcrop and less common limestones and carbonaticsilstones. Dolomite habitats are mostly compact, steep and marked by edaphicdryness, and soil is rich in organic matter. Limestones habitats are formed by gentle slopes with deep soils with B horizons and a good water balance.

Results

The relationship between type of rocks and camephytic-erbaceouscommunities is clear: on dolomitic rocks are present natural and seminatural calcareous grasslands (6170), temperate heath (4060-31.4B) and casmophytic vegetation (8210), while on calcareous rocks are present seminatural grasslands (6210/6510/6520) and pastures with Nardus stricta (6230). Pinus mugo and Rhododendron ferrugineum scrub prefer dolomitic habitats. Beech forests (91K0) are the most woodland present in the area in the montane belt, while in submontane belt Ostrya carpinifolia and Fraxinus ornus (Carpinionorientalis) woodland are present, replaced by Scotch Pine woodland (Erico-Fraxinion orni) in xeric condition on south slopes.

Conclusions

Management of these plants communities is difficult because grasslands, scrubland faces and heath, woodland are often important habitats. So ecotonesrestoration, shrub cutting pasture promoting were effectuated only in the centre of the management areas, while at the margin, near the woodland a respected area was delimited for scrub and heath facies conservation.

43° Congresso della Società Italiana di Scienza della VegetazioneAncona, 25-27 giugno 2007

VEGETATION DISTRIBUTION AND MANAGEMENT IN VALVESTINO-CORNO DELLA MAROGNA SIC - ALTO GARDA BRESCIANO PARK (BRESCIA, ITALY)Stefano Armiraglio1 Bruna Comini2 and Michele Carta3

1 Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali di Brescia - Via Ozanam 4, 25128 Brescia (Italy) - Parco Alto Garda Bresciano, via Oliva 32, Gargnano (BS, Italy) 2 Ente Regionale per i Servizi all’Agricoltura e alle Foreste –Regione Lombardia – via Oliva 32, Gargnano (BS, Italy)

Distribution of phytosociological rélevés according to altitude/relative insolation .

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1400

1500

1600

1700

1800

1900

2000

-80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40

Bushes with Pinus mugo and Rhododendron hirsutum (4070)

Illyrian Fagus sylvatica forests (91K0)

Illyrian Fagus sylvatica forests (91K0) with Ostrya (91K0)

Ostrya carpinifolia woods

Dinaric dolomite Scots pine forests (91R0) ?

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1400

1500

1600

1700

1800

1900

2000

-80,0 -60,0 -40,0 -20,0 0,0 20,0 40,0

subalpine calcareous grasslands with Carex firma (6170)

Subalpine/Montane calcareous grasslands with Sesleria varia (6170)

High mountain greenweed heaths with Genista radiata(4060-31.4B)

High mountain greenweed heaths with Chamaecytisus purpureus

Mountain hay meadows (6520)

Lowland hay meadows (6510)

Semi-natural dry grasslands (6210)

(Caricion austroalpinae (6170)

pastures with Nardus stricta (6230)

(Caricion austroalpinae (6170)

Potentillion caulesentis (8210)

Aremonio-Fagion (91K0)

Polygono-Trisetion (6230)

Ericion carneae (4060)

(Caricion austroalpinae (6170)

Erico-Fraxinion orni

Aremonio-Fagion (91K0) with

Ostrya carpinifolia

Mesobromion (6210)

Settore Musei

Arte Storia e

Scienze